KAR4. Classic Kamchatka

Type: Adventure
Tour duration: 14 days
Months of Operation:June – September
Recommended group size: 2 – 16
Mode of Travel: minibus, 6WD bus, on foot, raft, boat

This is a saturated survey tour which grants the best opportunity to get acquainted with all main attractions of Kamchatka: active volcanoes, hot springs, wild nature and traditional culture of native peoples without expensive helicopter flights. Nevertheless you also have an option to take a helicopter excursion to the world famous Valley of Geysers.

You visit the Tolbachik area in the Central Kamchatka 500 km from Petropavlovsk, where the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption took place in 1975-76 and has left impressive after-effects: new volcanic cones with hot summits, huge ash fields, hardened lava streams, ash-burned forest. Tops of the new cones are still blazing. This area is a reminiscence of the Moon and first Soviet lunar vehicles were tested here.

You enter the crater of the Mutnovsky Volcano with intensive powerful gas and steam spurts and boiling mood cauldrons. Mutnovsky is considered the most impressive Kamchatka volcano now because it is always active.

You cross taiga and mountains by rafts along the Bystraya River with good chances to see brown bears and to fish salmon.

You visit national settlements of native people – the Evens and get acquainted with their history, culture and present life. You also have a chance to see their national holiday 'The Aborigine’s Day' if come there in proper time.

Relaxation at Hot Springs resort in Paratunka adds to your experience of life in Kamchatka.

 

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival in Petropavlovsk. Transfer to hotel. Accommodation. Acclimatization. At 20:00 - dinner with your guide and discussing the trip. (D)

Day 2. Boat cruise in the Avachinskaya Bay (5-6 hours). Visiting nestling-places of sea birds at Babushkin Kamen (Grandmother's Rock) island and Starichkov island in the open Pacific Ocean. Evening ride (100 km) by all-terrain bus to the foot of Mutnovsky volcano. Setting a base camp. Walking to a waterfall. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 3. Ascending the crater of Mutnovsky volcano (2322 m). Viewing active fumarolas, mud siphons, acid lakes. Duration of the whole excursion is around 8 hours. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 4. Ascending the Gorely volcano (1829 m). Hiking along lava and slag fields. Evening ride by all-terrain bus to Paratunka Hot Springs resort. Accommodation in hotel. Bathing in thermal basin. (BLD)

Day 5. Relaxation in Paratunka. Optional excursion to Valley of Geysers by helicopter (weather dependent). Evening ride (130 km) to Malkinsky Hot Springs. Overnight in tents. Bathing in natural thermal waters. (BLD)

Day 6. Full day ride (around 460 km) to Tolbachik volcanic area including ferry across the Kamchatka River and 50 km off roads. Setting a base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 7. AscendingPlosky Tolbachik volcano (3080 m) to see a grand panorama of Klyuchevskaya volcanic group. The duration is about 7-8 hours. Return to base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 8. Excursion by all-terrain bus to the Northern new cones. Ascending new cones 100-200 m high which represent mini-volcanos. Further ride to the Dead Forest and the Southern new cones. Return to base camp. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 9. Ride (150 km, 5 hours) to Esso. Excursion to the Evens and Koryaks ethnographic complex in Anavgai en-route. Accommodation in a small private hotel. Bathing in thermal basin. (BLD)

Day 10. Acquaintance with Even national settlement Esso. Visit the Esso Ethnography Museum. Relaxation. Overnight in hotel. (BLD)

Day 11. Visiting Handicrafts Studio. Return (400 km, 7 hours) by all-terrain bus to Malky. Start of rafting along Bystraya River. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 12. Rafting along Bystraya River through wild nature (high probability to see bears or Steller's sea eagles). Fishing. Overnight in tents. (BLD)

Day 13. End of rafting and return to Paratunka by all-terrain bus (180 km). Overnight in a hotel. (BLD)

Day 14. Fish market. Transfer to airport. Departure from Petropavlovsk.(B)

Legend: B - breakfast, L - lunch, D - dinner.

Note: sequence of the arrangements may be changed due to local conditions

 

 

Tour Highlights

• Tolbachik Volcano area – grand consequences of the recent Huge Tolbachik Eruption
• Esso – national settlement of the Evens (indigenous people of Kamchatka) with wonderful Ethnography Museum
• Bystraya River– good possibility of rafting through wild nature
• Mutnovsky Volcano – impressive active volcano with powerful gas and steam spurts and boiling mood cauldrons
• Valley of Geysers – world famous sight with more than 40 geysers

Fixed departures - 2010 (guaranteed):

18/07-31/07/2010 (English speaking guide)
21/07-03/08/2010 (English speaking guide)
27/07-09/08/2010 (English speaking guide) - with visiting the Aborigine Day
30/07-12/08/2010 (English speaking guide) - with visiting the Aborigine Day
02/08-15/08/2010 (English speaking guide) - with visiting the Aborigine Day
08/08-21/08/2010 (English speaking guide)
11/08-24/08/2010 (English speaking guide)
14/08-27/08/2010 (English speaking guide)

 

Costs - 2010:

1621 EUR per person for joining in a fixed departure 6-16 PAX
Note: a staff of the group may vary during the trip

Included:

• TWN accommodation (QDR in Esso is possible because of limited capacity of the hotel)
• full board
• all necessary transfers including arrival and departure
• all necessary  equipments
• all excursions per program with entrance fees
• local English speaking guides/interpreters
• subsidiary crew when needed

Not included:

• air flights
• optional activities and excursions to be paid on spot
• insurance
• visa
• tour leader
  

Supplements:

• SGL in hotels: + 292 EUR per person
• Helicopter excursion to Valley of Geysers and Uzon Caldera (to pay on spot): around 625 EUR per person
• Air flight Moscow - Petropavlovsk - Moscow around 800 EUR per person (may be lower with early booking)

All the costs are valid at the date of publication and are subject to reconfirmation at the time of booking